Chula Vista, New Mexico

“La Nueva Tijuana” (the new Tijuana) is the name given to a section of Chula Vista known as East Lake Terrace. An explosion of growth there and in Bonita has been brought about by the exodus of Tijuana’s upper-middle and upper-class residents who fear for their lives.

By relocating, these Mexican citizens hope to escape the threat of violence, kidnappings for ransom, and assaults, says Enrique Morones, founder of Angeles de la Frontera (Border Angels). The migration to the U.S. is a phenomenon that has yet to be formally investigated.

According to Victor Clark Alfaro, director for the Binational Center for Human Rights, the migration caused by fear is something new and symbolic.